The Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey, administered in November 2015, was a University-wide survey that aimed to understand students’ experiences with sexual misconduct. In order to track the progress of the University’s ongoing initiative to combat sexual violence, this survey will be administered every three years. The next administration will occur in 2018.

The continual administration of the survey fulfills one of the recommendations set forth by the Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Task Force in January 2015. Read the full task force report (PDF).

About the Survey Instrument

The survey was based on an instrument created by the Administrator Researcher Campus Climate Consortium (ARC3) and was piloted in Spring 2015 at University Park, Altoona, Behrend, Fayette, and Lehigh Valley. Feedback from the pilot was used to make adjustments prior to the full administration.

The survey instrument asked questions about students’ personal experiences with victimization, perpetration, bystander behavior, knowledge of resources, and perceptions of the campus climate.

The Survey Results

The results provided insight into a number of areas, including the prevalence of sexual assault and other types of sexual misconduct, how comfortable people feel reporting incidents, and the role of alcohol in sexual misconduct. Data from this survey continue to inform decisions around policy and programs for various units across Student Affairs and the University. If you feel your unit could benefit from additional analyses of the data, please contact the SARA office.